It’s only 2 and a half weeks away. How did that happen? That means it’s time to start packing, which is the inspiration for my part of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler Virtual Blog Hop.

American Tourister

The thing about a racecation is there are so many different elements to packing. First, you are packing for a vacation. Next, you are packing for a race. Third, if it’s a runDisney race, you also might want to give some thought about the gEAR bag (see what they did there?).

I’m sure you’ve taken many, many vacations and don’t really need any help with regular vacation packing. So, I’ll skip right to race packing. I have some rules about this.

Make lists! Sure, when you are running at home you probably have it down to an art. You have your stash of gels, you know exactly where your favorite socks are, you have your headphones and GPS watch right by your keys, and you grab water from the fridge on your way out. However, when you are hundreds or thousands of miles from home, it won’t be that easy. Make lists of what running gear you need to pack and also what you need to carry with you to the race itself. Trust me, if you don’t have the exact gel you’ve trained with, it will wreak havoc on your mental state.

Make sure you have everything you need for your runcation.

Bring more than you think you will need. This applies to socks, undies, gels, tape, even shoes if you have multiple pair you rotate through. Why? It’s happened to all of us! You put those tried and true socks on and something just doesn’t feel right. When you are at home, you can simply grab another pair. You pull out your favorite gel and, for some reason, you just aren’t feeling that flavor. At home, you grab another. Away from home that’s only possible if you brought extra.

Pack all your running gear in your carry on. This is very important! Do not tempt fate by putting your trusted running gear in your checked luggage. Yes, you can even pack your gels in your carry on. Call me crazy but I also don’t trust the resort baggage handlers with my running gear. It stays with me at all times until I get to my room.

Once you get settled into your accommodations, there is one more bag you might want to think about packing: your gEAR bag. At the expo, a runDisney gEAR bag will be part of your packet. How big is the bag? I get asked that a lot. I measured it just for you! It’s 17.5 inches by 24 inches.

runDisney gEAR bag

You will also get a sticker with a number on it to stick on the bag. Pro tip: the number on your sticker should match that of your bib. Check it closely before leaving the expo. If it does not match, head straight to runner relations.

This is where you’ll stick your sticker that should match your bib number.

Why do you want to pack a gEAR bag? If you are like me, there may be things you will want as soon as you finish. For me, it’s wipes, a Luna bar, and flip-flops. Bandages and deodorant are also smart additions. I usually pack a change of clothes, too. This is especially true of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler because runners get access to the Villains Bash after party at Hollywood Studios.

There are a few things to know about gEAR check for this particular race. First of all, where you check your bag will not be where you pick it up. You will check your bag in the parking lot of Hollywood Studios when you arrive for the start of the race. Just follow the signs. It will be well-marked. While you are making your way through the 10 mile course, your bag will magically be transported to the theater where the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is held. Bag pick up will be on the stage. Here’s where it gets, um, interesting for this race. You will finish the race in the backstage area behind the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. From there, you will be ushered back into the park by way of the walkways around the theater where Beauty and the Beast is performed. If you know anything at all about this park, you know these two areas are nowhere near each other. This means you will have to walk a ways across the park to get your bag. You will also have to tackle a few stairs in the theater when you pick up your bag. It’s really not that horrible. I mean, you just ran 10 miles. Surely you can walk across a theme park and take on a few stairs, right? It is something to be aware of, though. If you have family waiting for you at the party, an alternative is to just give your things to a family member and bypass gEAR check altogether. I’ve done this in the past for this race, and I plan to do it again this year, too.

If you do check a bag, here is where double checking your sticker comes into play. The volunteers working bag pick up will match your bag to your bib number. Make sure you are still wearing your bib when you go to get your bag. If the numbers don’t match, the volunteers will not be able to give your bag to you.

What if you lose your sticker before checking your bag? Or what if you forget your bag altogether? Not to worry! Volunteers working gEAR check will have extra bags and blank tags if the Villains decide to show up early to the party and throw a wrench in your plans.

You know the drill. An ounce of prevention yields a pound of care, and it’s really true when packing for runDisney. Have a great race! Say “hi” if you see me on the course!

The start of something EPIC! Any guesses?

Thanks for hopping on over to my blog. For the other posts in this virtual blog hop, click the Mickey runner below.

Packing all running gear in a carry on bag is essential. We traveled to Dublin for the Rock ‘n Roll Dublin race in August and my daughter’s checked bag went missing…..for over 2 days. Of course she had packed race day clothing and essentials in her carry on so we raced with no issues at all.

I’m actually going to attempt to take all my stuff for those few days in my carry-on, since my family is driving down Sunday to meet me, I figured they could bring my bigger suitcase. A list will be VERY important for me!!! Thanks for all the tips; can’t wait to see you!

I’m not planning to check a gEAR bag, so maybe I’m crazy. But I’ll be carrying pretty much everything I need in my belt, and I’m not going to change – I’ll just be sweaty for the after party 😉 Definitely going to make sure I have all of my running stuff in my carry on!